Sign



July 31, 1928. 1,679,079- F. P. GSTALDER SIGN Filed March 5, 1927 /3 5 a I l I A \I Q 2 lnmum Patented July 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES FRANCIS P. GSTALDER,

or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SIGN.

Application filed March 3,

The present invention relates to improvements in signs primarily intended for use as road and street guides, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a sign of this character embodying interchangeable letters or other indicating characters which are readily interchangeable for displaying of the desired information.

A further object of the invention resides in theprovision of an interchangeable sign as set forth, wherein the letters or other indicia vare capable of being easily assembled in the desired form, and which sign is of a character to remain in good condition for an indefinite length of time and not be rendered illegible by excessive accumulation of dust and dirt upon the sign.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a sign which may be economically constructed from sheet metal, and one wherein a single fastening element serves for locking the letters or characters in their proper assembled form.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved sign showing-the same assembled for use and mounted upon a suitablesuport. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the manner of assembling the sign.

Figure 3 is an enlarged face plan View of the sign. 7 c

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on line 4-4 of Figure 3 and showing the manner in which the single fastening element prevents longitudinal movement of the letters or characters when supported in the frame.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section on line 5-5 of Figure 3 and illustrating the manner in which the letters are held against movement out of the supporting frame.

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse section on line 66 of Figure 3 and illustrating the locking arrangement for 'theouter end of the clamp or look bar for the letters.

' Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the outer end of the sign frame and showing the manner in which the locking bar is connected with the outer end of the sign rack. V I t Figure 8 is a perspectiveviewof the clamp 1927. Serial No. 172,452.

several views, the improved sign is shownas embodying a rack or frame A for removably receiving in assembled relation longitudinally therealong letters or other desired characters B, and a clamp or locking bar C for retaining the letters B in assembled relation upon the rack, A.

Referring first to the rack A, and which may be readily stamped from suitable gauge sheet metal, the same embodies a sub stantlally L-shaped body portion for prov ding a vertical back plate lOhaving a rlght angularly extending base flange 11 at its lower edge. An arrow head 12is preferably provided at the outer end of the back plate 10, and this arrow head is preferably disposed past the outer end .of the base flange 11. The outer end of the back plate 10 is provided with a rectangular shaped slot 13 which extends longitudinally of the back plate, while the inner end of the back plate is provided with a suitable aperture 14:, the slot 13 and aperture 14 preferably being arranged .at the longitudinal center of theback plate; Bent upwardly at a right angleand in spaced relation along the free edge of the base flange 11, is a suitable number of clips or tongues 15 the inner faces of which preferably extend flush with the free edge of the base flange and parallel with the back plate 10. The rack A may be of any suitable length for accommodating the desired number of letters B required to make up the desired sign, without any waste of materiahand with the terminally disposed letters spaced inwardly of the slot 13 and aperture 14 Y In the example shown, the sign characters B, are'in the form of letters each being provided'with a base plate 16 provided at its lower edge with a forwardly extending clamping flange 17 which preferably ex tends throughout the length of the base plate and of a width substantially equal to the distance between the confronting faces I of the back plate 10 and the clips 15 These base plates 16 are preferably of: a height equal to that of the-back plate 10, and

connect with the lower edges of the letters by means of neckportiona 1.55 so that the letters are disposed wholly above the upper edge of the rack A. These base plates 16 are also of a length so that when the characters are assembled in proper order, with the plates in abutting relation, the, characters proper will be disposed in properspaced relation longitudinally along the rack A.

The clamp orlocking means C for retaining the sign characters B in assembled relation upon the rack A, may also be formed from a strip of metal and embodies a locking bar 20 which is of a length substantially equal to that of the back plate 10, and formed at the outer end of the bar 20 is a right angularly offset T shaped lug an integral part or continuation thereof, is

an attaching portion 25 provided with suit able apertures 26 and 27, the aperture 26 being disposedadjacent the aperture 24 and the aperture 27 preferably being disposed adjacent the freeend of the attaching portion.

As will be observed in Figures 1 and 2, the attaching portion 25 has been arcuated for attachment of the sign to a cylindrical support 28, and when desiring to secure the sign to a cylindrical support, a companion attaching portion 29having terminal open; ings 80 and 3O'- cooperateswith the attaching portion 25 for attachment of the sign to a cylindrical support as at 28. When applying the sign to a flat surface, the; attaching portionis left straight asin Figure 8, and suitable fastening elementspassed through the apertures 26 and 27 for attachment of the sign to the support.

In assembling of the sign, the proper sign characters B are first positioned in. proper order upon the rack A with the base plates 16 contacting with the back rack plate 10 and the clamping flanges 17 resting upon the rack base flange, 11. The clamp C is thendisposed at, a right angle to the rack A and the head 23 of the T shaped lug 22 inserted throughthe slot 13 from that side of the back plate from which the base flange 11 extends. The clamp. C is then swung downwardly over theface of the sign charace ters into a parallelpositionwith the back plate 10, with the locking bar 20 moving to a position between the base plates 16 and the clips '15, and with the lower edge of the locking bar engaging the upper surfaces of the clamping flanges 17. 'As will be ob served in Figure 5, the clips 15 cause the locking bar 20 to contact with the base plates 16 for retaining the base plates in contact with the back plate 10 of the rack A. WVhen the bar 20 is moved to a retaining position, the aperture 24 at its inner end aligns with the aperture 14 of the back plate 10, and upon passing a suitable bolt 32 through the aligning apertures 14 and 24, the locking bar is held in a position for retaining the sign characters in assembled relation upon the rack A. As will be observed in Figures 6 and 7,, the head 23 will serve to retain the outer end of the locking bar connected with the. outer end of the back plate 10 when the locking bar is swung into parallel relation with. the back plate.

By again observing Figure 5itwill be seen that the sign characters are held against up ward movement by means of the locking bar 20 extending across the upper surface of the clamping flanges 17 of the base plates 16.

When attaching the sign to a cylindrical support as illustrated in Figure 1, the bolt 32 may also be extended through the aperture 30 of the cl'amping section 29, and upon passing of a suitable bolt as at 35 through the apertures 27' and 30, the sign may be rigidly connected with the support 28.

It is preferred that the T shaped lug 22 when in a locked position, cause the outer end of the locking bar to create a binding actionupon the outermost sign character, and that the bolt 32 create a binding action upon the innermost sign character for preventing longitudinal movement of the characters when assembled along the rack A.

While as before stated, it is preferred that the racks A and clamp bar 20 be of different l'engthsso that selection may be made of alength which accommodates, without any waste of material, the required number of sign characters to makeup the sign, such is not entirely essential since the clamping action created by the lug 22 and bolt 32*will clampthe base plate of the terminal charaeters tight against the back plate 10 for preventing longitudinal movement of. the characters.

Fromthe foregoing description it will be apparent that a novel and efficient type of sign has been provided embodying interchangeable sign characters which may be easily arranged in proper order for displaying of the desired information, and which characters are locked in assembled relation by means of a single retaining element.

Changes in detail may be made to the specifie form of the invention herein shown and described, without departingfrom the spirit ofithe invention or the scope of the following claims.

' I claim:

1. A holder for sign characters having a marginal flange at one edge thereof, come prising a rack provided at one'edge with a base flange upon which the flange of the sign character rests, a locking bar pivotally connected at one end to one end of the rack for clamping of the sign character flange to the base flange. of the rack, and meansconnecting the opposite end of the locking bar to the rack for preventing withdrawal of the sign character from the rack.

2. A holder for sign characters provided with base plates, comprising a rack embodying a stiffened back plate, a flexible locking bar pivotally connected at one end to the outer end of the rack for clamping the char acter base plates to the back plate when the bar is swung into aligning relation with the back plate, and means for retaining the locking bar in binding contact with the base plates of the terminally disposed characters.

3. A sign comprising a rack embodying a back plate and a base flange, a plurality of sign characters for assembling on the rack and each embodying a base plate and a clamping flange engageable respectively with the back plate andbase flange of the rack, and a removable locking bar for retaining the sign characters in assembled relation with their base plates contacting with the back plate of the rack and their clamping flanges contacting with the base flange of the rack.

4. A sign comprising a rack embodying a back plate and a base flange, a plurality of sign characters each embodying a base plate and a clamping flange for contacting respectively with the back plate and base flange of the rack, a locking bar pivotally and detach ably connected at one end with the outer end of the rack and engageable with the base plates and clamping flanges of the characters for retaining the characters in assembled relation upon the rack, and means connecting the inner end of the rack to the inner end of the locking bar for preventing swinging movement of the locking bar out of engage ment with the sign characters.

5. A sign comprising a rack embodying a back plate and a forwardly extending base flange, sign characters for assembling on the rack, each including a base plate and a clamping flange for contact with the back plate and base flange respectively of the rack, a locking bar pivotally and detachably connected at one end with the outer end of the rack and movable across the face of the characters into aligning relation with the rack back plate and into engagement with the clamping flanges of the characters, means for connecting the inner end of ,the locking bar to the inner end of the back plate, and means provided at the inner end of the looking bar for attachment of the sign to a support.

6. A sign comprising a rack embodying a back plate and a forwardly extending base flange, said back plate having a longitudinally extending slot provided adjacent its respectively with the back plate and-base flange of the rack, a locking'bar for the characters, provided at its outer end'with an off-- set lug insertible into the slot of the back plate and adapted to interlock therewith when the locking bar is swung parallel with the back plate for retaining of the characters in assembled relation, and means de-' tachably connecting the inner end of the locking bar to the inner end of the rack.

7 A sign comprising a rack embodying a back late and a base flange having clips provi ed at its free edge and extending parallel with the back plate, a plurality of sign characters each embodying a base plate and a clamping'flange engageable respectively with the back plate and base flange of the rack, a locking bar pivotally and detachably connected at one end with the outer end of the back plate and movable to a position between said clips and base plates of the characters into engagement with the clamping flanges of the characters, a bolt passing through the inner end of the locking bar and back plate for retaining the locking bar in engagement with the clamping flanges of the characters, and means for connecting the locking bar at its inner end to a suitable support.

8. A sign comprisinga rack embodying a back plate and a base flange, sign characters for assembling on the rack and each includ ing a base plate and a clamping flange engageable respectively with the back plate and base flange of the rack, and clamping means for the characters including a locking bar pivotally and detachably connected at its outer end to the outer end of the back plate and provided at its inner end with an attaching portion for attachment of the sign to a suitable support, and means connecting the inner end of the locking bar with the inner end of the rack plate for preventing swinging movement of the lockin bar out of holding relation with the sign 0 iaracters.

9. A holder for the interchangeable supporting of sign characters provided with A base plates, comprising a rack embodying a back plate and a base flange, said back plate at its outer end being provided with a longitudinally extending slot and having an aperture provided at the inner end of the back plate, said rack serving as a support for the sign characters with the base plate of the characters contacting with the back plate of the rack between the slot and aperture provided respectively at the outer and inner ends of the back plate, a locking bar for the characters having a T shaped lug at its outer end for locking engagement in the slot of the back plate and having an aperture at its inthrough the aligning apertures at the inner end of the locking bar and back plate for retaining the bar and plate in assembled relation and for creating a binding action upon the innermost ign character whereby the characters areheld against movement longitudinally of the supporting rack.

FRANCIS RGSTALDER. 

